


Reflections

by Sounddrive



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Red Plague (The Arcana)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-10 15:55:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17428964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sounddrive/pseuds/Sounddrive
Summary: [Warnings: Spoilers for the game within. You've been warned].They should’ve noticed that something was wrong.They should’ve noticed when Death had disappeared.They should’ve noticed when Justice disappeared.They should’ve noticed when Temperance disappeared.Fool didn’t know what to expect when Devil said he wanted to visit. Granted, Devil had also said he had something, in his words, ‘interesting’, to chat with them about.





	Reflections

They should’ve noticed that something was wrong.

They should’ve noticed when _Death_ had disappeared.

They should’ve noticed when _Justice_ disappeared.

They should’ve noticed when _Temperance_ disappeared.

Fool didn’t know what to expect when Devil said he wanted to visit. Granted, Devil had also said he had something, in his words, ‘interesting’, to chat with them about.

For the occasion, Fool had taken most of several weeks to rearrange their realm for their guest. Settled on the edge of a cliff was a pergola, accented in their preferred floral patterns and green trim. Down below, far, far down the cliff was a sea of slow moving lava. Granted, it wasn’t hot at all. An illusion, truly, but Fool figured Devil would’ve liked something reminiscent of his own realm while he visited.

The Fool paused when a little white dog on two legs approached them, tail wagging and tongue sticking out of their mouth.

“Scout?” Fool inquired.

“It’s him!” Scout responded in kind, panting with excitement. “Can I go get him?”

Fool smiled. With their nod, the dog-headed guide raced off down the path to retrieve Fool’s guest.

***

Once Devil had started up the final bend toward the pergola, Scout dashed elsewhere, chasing some birds into the treeline behind them.

Despite the fact Fool themself had granted the Devil entry into their realm, in all the eons of both their existences, Fool couldn’t help but feel cold dread ripple through them as their friend approached.

There was a _glint_ in his bloody pupils.

“There you are,” Devil cooed.

“Where else would I be?” Fool replied in kind. “I’m not going on another journey for another few weeks. I need my rest!”

They grabbed one of the chalices settled on a three-legged table just off to their right, using the drink to mask their expression, their rapid kaleidoscopical interchange of emotions.

There was _that_ dangerous glint in his bloody pupils. They hadn’t seen  _t_ _hat_ glint in-!

Fool picked up the remaining chalice, offering it to their companion. “Water?”

“I don’t touch the stuff, but thank you for the offer my dear,” Devil nodded. His smile was amused. Friendly, even.

Fool knew better.

With a wave of their hand, Fool summoned a pile of pillows to appear on the polished stone floor of the small pergola. They picked a few cushions and lied back on them, looking to the ceiling. A menagerie of vines and stems of flowers cross-crossed over the support of net trellises. The mess of multitudes of flowers seemed to be looking down upon the both of them.

“What flowers have you got there?” Devil approached, still standing. His gaze was centered at the messy array of flora overhead.

“I don’t remember,” Fool admitted, sparing a glance to him. “I just picked a random assortment and threw them up there."

“Evidently,” Devil teased, pulling a laugh out of the other.

For the next while, they sat together in silence. It was comfortable too, but...

“Devil, what was the something...‘interesting’ you wanted to talk to me about?” Fool finally inquired. They set down their now-empty chalice on the floor, it’s golden visage mirrored in the polished stone beneath.

For a moment, there was that cool smile on his face. His gaze turned down to the path leading away from their spot. Fool traced where his gaze went from there: towards one of the ever changing, meandering paths Fool’s realm tended to twist and turn into.

They were going to discuss this whilst on a walk, apparently.

Devil held out one of his clawed hands, pulling Fool to their feet. The latter reached over to the table, where their walking stick rested. The Devil took a few steps out from under the pergola, pausing to allow Fool to make their way toward the other Major Arcana.

Devil shorted his paces, allowing Fool to walk side by side with him. As much as Fool would rather lead in their trek with no destination, they needed to know what the Devil was up to.

***

“You can’t be serious.”

“You know I am persistent.”

“I thought you hated persistence.”

“Only when it’s not by my own accord or when mortals ceaselessly make deals with me; you _know_ this, Fool.”

“How many times is it now?”

“Were you keeping track?”

“Should I start?”

“Tch.”

“...Devil, what makes you think it’ll work this time?”

“...”

“...”

“...fine. Keep your secrets.”

“There’s another question I need to ask.”

“Oh?”

“Two, actually.”

“...yeah?”

“Are you going to stop me?”

“...I don’t have a stake in your games, Devil. I’m not so sure about the others, though.”

“Do not worry yourself over me, Fool.”

“Who said I was?”

“May I ask the next question?”

“...Go ahead.”

“Whose face are you wearing?”

***

_S h i t._

“?!” Fool’s expression was enough to draw a cruel laugh from their companion.

“I beg your pardon, Devil, but that’s fucking rude,” Fool replied, curt. They brought their walking stick closer to their person, only to firmly plant it into the ground between them.

“Temper, temper, Fool,” the Devil dared to chide, “I know you like to copy humans but...I have never seen you wear one face for long.”

_Fuck you and your observant ass, you goat._

“Are you stuck on this human’s face, Fool? That would be a first; whyever for? It is not in any of our natures to get... _attached_.”

Fool didn’t offer him a reply, but that apparently was answer enough.

“I shall see myself out, then,” he stated with finality, that smug smile still on his face.

Fool could only nod at him, watching as the Devil turned his back to them. Smoke dispersed from the deep tracks he left in the ground. The metallic tang of blood arose with the smoke as it curled in on itself, surrounding the departing Major Arcana in a great whirlwind before completely disappearing.

In the mock lava sea a ways away from Fool, it stilled.

All was quiet.

Nothing stirred.

As fast as it had stilled, great portions of it immediately exploded into jets of steam and spouts water. The glowing embers of black and red gave way to the blackest-blue of seas, trimmed in sickly white foam. The cacophony of the environment shifting violently in the realm barely covered the string of expletives Fool chose to scream at their now-absent guest.

Eventually the realm had settled back down, albeit everything was pell-mell and thrown everywhere it shouldn’t be. The pergola was destroyed, leaving only the now cracked, polished stone foundation the only thing somewhat intact.

Fool found themself sitting on their cliff. With their walking stick off to the side, and feet dangling over the edge, their gaze was off toward the hazy horizon.

A hooded figure head butted into their side, gaining Fool’s attention.

“Hi Scout,” they greeted the guide tiredly. The sight of Scout’s wagging tail peeking out from under their coat drew forth a small smile.

Fool opened up their arms, sighing in contentment when Scout softly settled into a hug with them.

“Better?” Scout inquired, eyes directed at Fool’s dour expression.

“...a little, but yeah,” Fool nodded. “Can you stay a bit, Scout?”

The other's answer was in the form of Scout bodily flattening themself over Fool’s lap, tail wagging blindingly fast as Fool petted the other’s furry head.

What to do, what to do...?

* * *

Days.

Weeks.

Months? Almost a human’s year?

Fool had found themself unable to shift out of the form they had taken on. It was disturbing; changing shapes was the easiest sort of magic! Why were they stuck!?

Fool removed the mirror from their storage locker. Removing the thin fabric of their hood that veiled their head, Fool frowned at the face that frowned back.

“You’re dead,” Fool spoke, their voice soft. “I wish it wasn't the case, but you are. You...you humans have the shortest little drops of lives. And then there’s you and so many others in Vesuvia. You all threw yourselves into that mess, wanting to find a cure. Why would you take such the risk? I could’ve kept you safe. You could’ve stayed with me; your magic would’ve been strong enough to pull that teacher of yours into here too, fear of magic be damned...”

A sigh escaped the Major Arcana. Pulling the hood over the face that wasn’t theirs again, Fool returned the mirror to it’s spot before locking it away.

***

_Sometime later..._

When Scout barked up a storm, far down the path from Fool’s seated spot on their cliff, the Major Arcana didn’t know who to expect. The one human that had been able to visit in any recent stretch of time was dead, after all.

Fool remained seated, but nonetheless twisted themself around to look behind them. They watched as Scout ran circles around the stranger that approached. There was a colorful feather tucked into a ribbon band around the base of the hat’s crown. The fabric of the red scarf circled around the human’s neck and over their mouth and nose was mottled and blotted. The damage on the fabric was from use and age, but evidently, it was well loved and cared for. Slung over the stranger's shoulder was a heavy leather bag, it’s contents clinking together.

The aura that exuded from this magician was powerful for one their age. Even if the magician was over 200 paces away, it was then that Fool realized _exactly_ who the magician was.

The Fool thought it wise to pull the hood of their attire over their face, casting their visage in the darkest shadow. He had suffered enough, in their opinion.

There was no need to have the face of a ghost greet him.

* * *

_Sometime much later..._

I should have noticed that something was amiss.

I should have noticed when I was not the only one of _us_ to be in attendance during the ritual.

I should’ve noticed that the magician, Asra, the very desperate, the very mortal Magician Asra would have done something as unprecedented as this. Humans’ emotions were easy to exploit, but...

_Fool..._

Fool, did you know what would have happened to you, after?

For what? The cost of what you have done, what you have sacrificed, just to circumvent _my_ plans? Did you not realize the extent of what you had done? What you’ll never get back...?

No matter. No matter, in the least.

Entities of our kind are a patient sort, after all.

It’s only a matter of time.

It’s only a matter of time...

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: The fic was a labor of love and determination in 5 hours to get all this down (not including the editing). I've been wanting to work on something like this, especially with the big reveal about MC's nature during Nadia's route at the end of The Star and the beginning of the Moon chapter.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I had writing it.


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